Max Horkheimer
Max Horkheimer was a German philosopher and sociologist who was a leading figure in the Frankfurt School of critical theory. Born on February 14, 1895, and passing away on July 7, 1973, Horkheimer's work focused on the structures of power and society, the conditions that lead to social change, and the role of reason in understanding and improving human affairs. He collaborated extensively with Theodor W. Adorno, with whom he co-authored 'Dialectic of Enlightenment', a foundational text for critical theory and the study of the culture industry, mass society, and the critique of instrumental reason.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. Dialectic Of Enlightenment
"Dialectic of Enlightenment" is a seminal philosophical work that explores the nature of enlightenment and its paradoxical relationship with the concept of reason. The authors argue that the Enlightenment's quest for knowledge, freedom, and autonomy has inadvertently led to the opposite: a form of domination and control through instrumental reason. They examine how the Enlightenment's rationality, once aimed at liberating individuals from myth and superstition, has devolved into a tool of oppression, giving rise to totalitarian systems and a culture industry that manipulates mass society. The book delves into various cultural artifacts, including literature, film, and popular culture, to illustrate how enlightenment has become self-destructive, ultimately questioning the possibility of true emancipation in a society governed by the very rationality that was supposed to set it free.
